1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector with a partial connection detecting function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector with a partial connection detecting function is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,237. This connector has a housing that is connectable with and separable from a forwardly projecting receptacle of a mating connector. The connector has a slider that is movable forward and back parallel to connecting and separating directions of the connectors, and springs that bias the slider forward. The slider is held in contact with the receptacle of the mating connector while the connector is being fitted into the receptacle. Thus, the slider moves back and biasing forces accumulate in the springs. The biasing forces of the springs push the slider forward if a connecting operation is interrupted with the connectors only partly connected. Thus, the slider pushes the receptacle back to separate the connectors. Two properly connected connectors are separated by first moving the slider back. If a separating operation is interrupted, the biasing forces of the springs push the slider forward and thus push the receptacle back to separate the connectors. In other words, the connectors are separated forcibly if the connecting or separating operation is interrupted. This forcible separation shows that the connectors are left partly connected.
Left and right springs and left and right contacts of the slider with the receptacle extend along the left and right side walls of the housing in the above-described connector. Hence, there is a problem of a wide housing.
In view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved operability and preferably to reduce a width of a housing.
The invention is directed to a connector that is connectable with and separable from a mating connector. The mating connector has a forwardly projecting receptacle and a receiving portion on the receptacle. The connector comprises a housing that is fittable into the receptacle. A lock arm is formed on the housing for engaging the receiving portion of the mating connector to hold a properly connected state of the connectors. A slider is provided in the housing and is movable substantially parallel to the connecting and separating directions of the connectors. Biasing means are provided for biasing the slider forward or toward the mating connector. The slider is configured to contact the receptacle and is moved back while accumulating biasing forces in the biasing means at intermediate stages of the connection and separation of the connectors. The biasing means preferably comprises left and right springs, and left and right contacts of the slider with the receptacle preferably are at substantially opposite sides of the lock arm.
A connecting operation with the mating connector may be interrupted. In this case, the biasing means urges the slider forward, and the slider pushes the receptacle for forcibly separating the housing from the mating connector. A separating operation from the mating connector also may be interrupted. Again, the biasing means urges the slider forward and the slider pushes the receptacle for forcibly separating the housing from the mating connector. Thus, the housing never fails to be separated forcibly from the mating housing when the connector is partly connected with the mating connector. This forcible separation shows that the two connectors were left partly connected.
Left and right the biasing springs and left and right contacts of the slider with the receptacle are at the opposite sides of the lock arm along the upper surface of the housing. Thus, the width of the housing is small as compared to a connector having the biasing springs and the contacts of the slider with the receptacle on the left and right side surfaces of the housing.
The slider may be inclinable with respect to the housing and may have a restrictable portion that contacts a backward movement restricting portion of the housing during the connection of the connector with the mating connector. Thus, the slider is inclined to disengage the contact from the receptacle as connection proceeds further. Additionally, the contact is disengaged from the receptacle when the properly connected state of the connectors is reached, and the slider is moved forward by the biasing forces of the biasing means, while causing the contact to slide over the upper surface of the receptacle.
The slider is disengaged from the receptacle and moved forward when the connectors are connected properly. Thus, the biasing forces accumulated in the biasing springs are released, and the biasing springs do not experience a resilient strain even if the connectors are connected for a long time.
The slider preferably has a pushing portion and the lock arm preferably has a pushable portion. The pushing portion and the pushable portion contact each other while the slider moves forward with the connectors properly connected and with the lock arm displaced from the receiving portion. The slider pushes the lock arm to engage the receiving portion while being moved forward by the contact of the pushing portion and pushable portion. More particularly, the slider is moved forward even if the lock arm is left disengaged from the receiving portion with the connectors properly connected. Thus, locking by the lock arm and the receiving portion securely functions.
The slider preferably is inclinable between a lock permitting posture and an unlocking posture. The slider in the lock permitting posture permits the engagement of the lock arm with the receiving portion. However, the slider in the unlocking posture displaces the lock arm in a direction to be disengaged from the receiving portion when the slider is at a moved-back position. The contact portion of the slider preferably contacts the receptacle and the biasing forces accumulated in the springs are given to the receptacle via the slider when the slider is inclined to the unlocking posture.
The slider may be inclined to the unlocking posture. In this case, locking by the lock arm and the receiving portion is canceled, and it is possible to separate the connector from the mating connector. Simultaneously, the contact of the slider contacts the receptacle to give the biasing forces of the springs to the receptacle, thereby enabling a partial connection detection. As a result, separation from the mating connector and partial connection detection both can be prepared merely by making one action of inclining the slider. Therefore, operability during the separating operation is good.
The slider preferably is held laterally by a box formed on the connector and/or wherein the slider engages lateral surfaces of the lock arm.
The slider preferably can be horizontal, with one or more contacts at a height to contact a front end of the receptacle when the slider is in its horizontal position.
Most preferably, an end of the slider projects into a notch in the housing when the slider is in an inclined position.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.